Display panel and terminal device

ABSTRACT

A display panel includes: a display area including a photosensitive area, and a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array in the photosensitive area, wherein a light transmitting hole is provided between adjacent pixel units in the photosensitive area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims priority to Chinese PatentApplication No. 201910857124.4, filed on Sep. 11, 2019, the entirecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic devices, andin particular to a display panel and a terminal device.

BACKGROUND

With the development of terminal device technology, a full screen hasbecome a major trend in the development of the terminal device.

At present, most popular models use pseudo-full-screen designs, such asbang screens, water drop screens, etc., and the screen ratio of theterminal device may be further improved.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a display panel and a terminal device,which can achieve a full-screen design.

In a first aspect, a display panel comprises: a display area including aphotosensitive area, and a plurality of pixel units arranged in an arrayin the photosensitive area, wherein a light transmitting hole isprovided between adjacent pixel units in the photosensitive area.

In a second aspect, a terminal device comprises: the display panelaccording to the first aspect; and a photosensitive element disposed ona first side of the display panel, wherein the first side is a sidefacing away from a light-exiting surface of the display panel, and anorthographic projection of the photosensitive element on thelight-exiting surface is in the photosensitive area.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, the photosensitive area isprovided in the display area, and the light transmitting hole isprovided between adjacent pixel units in the photosensitive area. Inthis way, a photosensitive element such as a camera module and afingerprint module of a terminal device may be disposed under thedisplay panel, and the photosensitive element realizes optical signaltransmission through a plurality of the light transmitting holes in thedisplay panel. Because the size of the light transmitting hole is small,based on the principle of pin-hole imaging, each hole may pass throughexternal light in a large range, and corresponding function thereof canbe implemented. At the same time, the photosensitive element is disposedunder the display panel instead of being disposed on a front side of thedisplay panel, so the full-screen design can be implemented and theappearance of the terminal device can be improved.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory onlyand are not restrictive of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings herein, which are incorporated into andconstitute part of the description, illustrate embodiments of thepresent disclosure, and serve to explain principles of the presentdisclosure together with the description.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a display panel according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a layer stack of a display panelaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an operating schematic diagram of a terminal device accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the followingdescription refers to the accompanying drawings, the same referencenumerals in different drawings represent the same or similar elementsunless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in thefollowing exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementationsconsistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examplesof devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the presentdisclosure as recited in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display panel 100 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, the displaypanel 100 has a display area 101 including a photosensitive area 102. Aplurality of pixel units 110 are arranged in an array in thephotosensitive area 102. A light transmitting hole 103 is providedbetween adjacent pixel units 110 in the photosensitive area 102.

In an embodiment, the light transmitting hole 103 is an opticalmicro-hole with a size in a micron order. As a result, lighttransmitting can be guaranteed, and human eyes cannot see the lighttransmitting hole, which does not affect the appearance of the displaypanel.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the photosensitive area isprovided in the display area, and the light transmitting hole isprovided between adjacent pixel units in the photosensitive area. Inthis way, a photosensitive element such as a camera module and afingerprint module of a terminal device may be disposed under thedisplay device, and the photosensitive element realizes optical signaltransmission through a plurality of the light-transmitting holes in thedisplay panel. Because the size of the light transmitting hole is small,based on the principle of pin-hole imaging, each hole may pass throughexternal light in a large range, and corresponding function thereof canbe implemented. At the same time, the photosensitive element is disposedunder the display panel instead of being disposed on a front side of thedisplay panel, so the full-screen design can be implemented and theappearance of the terminal device can be improved.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel 100 may bean organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel. A high resolutionof the OLED display panel makes the distribution of the lighttransmitting holes more uniform, thereby ensuring the normal operationof the photosensitive element. In another embodiment, the display panel100 may also be other display panels, such as a micro LED display panel,a quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED) display panel, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pixel units 110 are arranged in the entiredisplay area 101. Each pixel unit 110 may include a plurality ofsub-pixel units. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the pixel unit 110includes three sub-pixel units of red (R), green (G), and blue (B).

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a display panel according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, there is astrip-shaped area 111 between adjacent pixel units 110, and a pluralityof light transmitting holes 103 are spaced apart or arranged atintervals along a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped area 111.

In the embodiment, the plurality of light transmitting holes arearranged in the strip-shaped area between the adjacent pixel units,which can ensure light transmitting area in the photosensitive area, andthus can ensure that the photosensitive element can operate normallythrough these light transmitting holes. At the same time, there areprovided a plurality of the small holes with a small distance betweentwo holes. Therefore, the photosensitive element may obtain light fromall parts in an external environment without dead parts. In this case,when a camera module is used, a whole image of the external environmentcan be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shapes of the three sub-pixel units R, G, and Bmay be rectangular (there may be a distance between the sub-pixel units,which is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). Accordingly, the pixel unit isalso a rectangle, and the stripe-shaped area 111 between the pixel unitsis a rectangular area. The longitudinal direction of the stripe-shapedarea 111 is the column direction A shown in FIG. 2.

In another embodiment, the shapes of the sub-pixel unit and the pixelunit may be other shapes. Accordingly, the stripe-shaped area 111between the pixel units may be another regular or irregular-shaped area.

In an embodiment, the respective sub-pixel units in the same pixel unitare arranged in a row direction. In another embodiment, the respectivesub-pixel units in the same pixel unit may also be arranged in a columndirection or in an irregular manner.

Referring to FIG. 2, the light transmitting hole 103 may be a circlehole, which is easy to be designed and manufactured. The diameter of thelight transmitting hole 103 may be ⅓ to ⅔ of a minimum width d of thestrip-shaped area 111.

In the embodiment, the diameter of the light transmitting hole isdefined to be ⅓˜⅔ of the minimum width of the strip-shaped area, suchthat the size of the hole is prevented from being too large to affectnormal arrangement of the pixels units, and the area of the hole canensure the normal operation of the photosensitive element.

For example, the diameter of the light transmitting hole 103 may be ½ ofthe minimum width d of the strip-shaped area 111.

In another embodiment, the light transmitting hole 103 may have othershapes, such as a rectangle, which is not limited in the presentdisclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 2, a distance s between the adjacent lighttransmitting holes 103 may be 50% to 100% of the diameter of the lighttransmitting hole 103.

In the embodiment, the light transmitting holes are spaced apart, andthe distance between the light transmitting holes is defined to be50%˜100% of the diameter of the light-transmitting hole. Accordingly, itcan prevent the holes from being connected to each other to make thehole too large to be observed by human eyes, and the distance betweenthe holes is prevented from being too large to affect the number of theholes. Thus, a light transmitting area can be provided, and light can beobtained from all parts in the external environment without dead partsby pin-hole imaging.

In an embodiment, the distance s between the adjacent light transmittingholes 103 may be 50% of the diameter of the light transmitting hole 103.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3, a lightshielding layer 120 is provided on an inner side surface of the displaypanel 100, and a via hole 121 is provided in the light shielding layer120 to correspond to the light transmitting hole 103. The inner sidesurface and a light exiting surface of the display panel 100 are twoopposite surfaces of the display panel.

In the embodiment, the light shielding layer is disposed on the innerside surface of the display panel to shield light generated by thedisplay panel to prevent the same from reaching the photosensitiveelement and thus affecting a normal operation of the photosensitiveelement. At the same time, the light shielding layer does not shield thelight transmitting hole, so that external light signal may still passthrough the light transmitting hole, which can ensure the normaloperation of the photosensitive element.

When the via hole 121 is provided in the light shielding layer 120 tocorrespond to the light transmitting hole 103, the projection of thelight transmitting hole 103 on the light-exiting surface overlaps theprojection of the via hole 121 on the light-exiting surface, so as toensure that the light passing through the light transmitting hole is notblocked.

In an embodiment, the light shielding layer 120 may be made of a metallayer or other light-shielding ink (for example, a black ink). Forexample, when the metal layer is used, the film layer of the displaypanel may be directly formed on the metal layer. Also for example, whenthe light-shielding ink is used, the light-shielding ink may be appliedon the display panel after the display panel is manufactured.

Still referring to FIG. 3, a light shielding film 130 is disposed on asidewall of the light transmitting hole 103.

In the embodiment, the light shielding film is coated on the side wallof the light transmitting hole, which can further prevent the lightgenerated by the display panel from affecting the photosensitiveelement.

In an embodiment, the light-shielding film 130 may be a light-shieldingink film. For example, the light-shielding ink film 130 may befabricated on the sidewall of the light transmitting hole 103 by spraycoating, printing, evaporation, or other methods.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a layer stack of a display panelaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG.4, the display panel 100 includes a pixel defining layer 141, a cathodelayer 142, an electron transport layer 143, an organic light emittinglayer 144, a hole transport layer 145, an anode layer 146, and aprotective layer 147, which are stacked.

The pixel defining layer 141 is configured to define a plurality ofgrooves, and each groove corresponds to a sub-pixel unit. The cathodelayer 142, the electron transport layer 143, and the organic lightemitting layer 144 are all grown in the groove, that is, these layerseach include a plurality of parts, and each part corresponds to asub-pixel unit. For example, the cathode layer, electron transportlayer, and organic light emitting layer of each sub-pixel are formed inthe groove. The hole transport layer 145, the anode layer 146, and theprotective layer 147 are designed on the entire surface, and do not needto be divided according to the sub-pixel units.

The electron transport layer 143, the organic light emitting layer 144,and the hole transport layer 145 can all be formed by printing orevaporation of an organic material. The cathode layer 142 may be a metalcathode, and the anode layer 146 may be an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode.The protective layer 147 may be a glass plate.

In an embodiment, although the cathode layer 142 is a metal cathode, andhas a light-shielding property, since there is no cathode in the areabetween the sub-pixels, the light of the display panel can still passthrough, so the aforementioned light-shielding layer 120 needs to beprovided for shielding.

In an embodiment, since the light transmitting holes 103 are formedbetween the pixel units, the light transmitting holes 103 may penetratethrough the pixel defining layer 141, the hole transport layer 145, theanode layer 146, and the protective layer 147. The protective layer 147is a glass plate, and the anode layer 146 is an ITO layer, both of whichare transparent, so the light transmitting hole 103 only needs topenetrate through the pixel defining layer 141 and the hole transportlayer 145. For example, each of the cathode layer 142, the electrontransport layer 143, and the organic light emitting layer 144 is notformed integrally, and is disposed in a sub-pixel area, and each of theanode layer 146 and the protective layer 147 is formed integrally and isa transparent film layer. Accordingly, the light emitting hole 103 onlyneeds to penetrate through the pixel defining layer 141 and the holetransport layer 145. That is, the light transmitting hole 103 penetratesthrough a non-transparent film layer in the display panel.

In the embodiment, the light transmitting hole is formed only in thenon-transparent film layer, which can reduce workload of forming thehole on the one hand, and ensure the overall strength of the panel onthe other hand.

In an embodiment, the light shielding layer 120 is disposed on thebottom surface (the side facing away from the light exiting surface) ofthe pixel defining layer 141 of the display panel 100.

FIG. 4 provides a schematic diagram of a passive-driving (PM) OLEDdisplay panel. When the OLED display panel is an active-driving (AM)OLED display panel, the display panel further includes a thin filmtransistor array, the aforementioned pixel defining layer 141 isdisposed on the thin film transistor array, and the aforementioned lighttransmitting holes simultaneously penetrate through the non-transparentfilm layers in the thin film transistor array. The light shielding layer120 is disposed on the bottom surface (the side facing away from thelight exiting surface) of the thin film transistor array of the displaypanel 100.

In some embodiments, the light transmitting holes 103 may penetratethrough all the film layers in the display panel.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the light transmitting hole103 may be made by a laser drilling method, or may be made by apatterning process (such as an etching process).

It is to be noted that because the cathode layer or the electrode layerin the thin film transistor array includes wirings in addition toelectrodes, and these wirings usually extend between the pixel units, inorder to avoid the impact of forming the light transmitting holes on thenormal display function, the aforementioned light transmitting holes andwirings may be staggered.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel may beprovided with one or more photosensitive areas, and one photosensitivearea may correspond to one or more photosensitive elements. Eachphotosensitive element corresponds to a plurality of pixel units, suchas hundreds of pixel units.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 5, the terminaldevice includes the display panel 100 described above in connection withFIGS. 1 to 4, and further includes a photosensitive element 200. Thephotosensitive element 200 is located on a first side of the displaypanel 100. The first side is a side facing away from the light exitingsurface of the display panel 100. The orthographic projection of thephotosensitive element 200 on the light exiting surface is located inthe photosensitive area 102.

FIG. 6 is an operating schematic diagram of a terminal device accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, sincethe size of the light transmitting hole 103 is small, based on theprinciple of pin-hole imaging, each hole can pass a large range ofexternal light, and because the distance between the two holes is small,the photosensitive element can obtain light from all parts in theexternal environment without dead part. In this way, when using thecamera module, an external whole image can also be obtained.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 7, the terminaldevice further includes: a processing unit 300 configured to performfiltering processing on an electrical signal generated by thephotosensitive element 200.

In the embodiment, the processing unit 300 may be a processor and isemployed to perform the filtering processing on the electrical signal ofthe photosensitive element, so that the noise of the electrical signalof the photosensitive element 200 is reduced and thus the electricalsignal has high accuracy.

In an embodiment, the processing unit 300 is configured to performdifferential processing on the electrical signal generated by thephotosensitive element 200 and a preset signal, and the preset signal isan electrical signal when the photosensitive element 200 receives onlylight generated by the display panel.

In the embodiment, the processing unit may filter signal throughdifferential processing. The processing unit may first obtain and storethe electrical signal only when the light is generated by the displaypanel as the preset signal. When performing the processing, the presetsignal is subtracted from the electrical signal to filter the signal.The filtered signal is then processed.

In the embodiment, the preset signal can be obtained in an environmentwith no external light, for example, at night or in a dark closed space,and then stored in the terminal device for use by the processing unit.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the photosensitive element200 may include at least one of a camera module, an optical sensor, andan optical fingerprint module.

The camera module may include one or more cameras. Optical sensors canbe infrared sensors, laser sensors, and other types of sensors.According to their functions, the sensors can be ambient light detectionsensors, distance sensors, etc. By taking infrared sensors as anexample, light emitted by the emitting part of the infrared sensorpasses through the light transmitting hole, is reflected by an externalobject, and then received by a receiving part to generate an electricalsignal.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrical signalgenerated by the photosensitive element 200 through photoelectricconversion may be collected by an acquisition circuit, and then sent tothe processing unit for processing.

The acquisition circuit may include a capacitor, an analog-to-digitalconverter, and an integrating circuit. The photocurrent signal generatedby the photosensitive element 200 is supplied to the capacitor to form avoltage signal; the analog-to-digital converter performs signalacquisition on the voltage signal to obtain a digital signal, andoutputs the digital signal to the integrating circuit for processing. Ifthe acquired signal is small, or the ambient light conditions are dark,or the ambient light conditions are bright, the processing unit performscorresponding configuration through bus control to increase parameterssuch as integrating time of the integrating circuit and op-amp gain soas to adjust signal amplitude.

The aforementioned processing unit also has a logic control circuit tocontrol the output of the acquisition circuit. The logic control circuitcan control turning on/off of a switch transistor between theacquisition circuit and the processing unit through the address line.When the switch transistor is on, the processing unit can obtain thedigital signal output by the analog-to-digital converter through thebus, and process and store the digital signal.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the terminal device further includes a casing400. The photosensitive element 200 may be disposed on the casing 400,and the position of the photosensitive element 200 on the casing 400 maybe disposed to directly face the aforementioned photosensitive area.

Those skilled in the art will readily contemplate other embodiments ofthe present disclosure after considering the specification andpracticing the invention disclosed herein. The present application isintended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the presentdisclosure that conform to the general principles of the presentdisclosure and include the common knowledge or conventional technicalmeans in the technical field not disclosed by the present disclosure. Itis intended that the specification and examples be considered asexemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the present disclosurebeing indicated by the following claims.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited tothe precise structure that has been described above and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes may bemade without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the presentdisclosure is limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display panel, comprising: a display areaincluding a photosensitive area; and a plurality of pixel units arrangedin an array in the photosensitive area, wherein a light transmittinghole is provided between adjacent pixel units in the photosensitivearea, wherein the light transmitting hole penetrates through anon-transparent film layer in the display panel; wherein the displaypanel is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel includinga pixel defining layer, a cathode layer, an electron transport layer, anorganic light emitting layer, a hole transport layer, an anode layer,and a protective layer in a stacked arrangement; wherein a lightshielding film is disposed on side walls of the pixel defining layer andthe hole transport layer in the light transmitting hole; and wherein theanode layer and the protective layer are transparent and cover the lighttransmitting hole, and the light transmitting hole penetrates throughthe pixel defining layer and the hole transport layer and does notpenetrate the anode layer and the protective layer.
 2. The display panelaccording to claim 1, wherein a light shielding layer is disposed on aninner side surface of the display panel, a via hole is disposed in thelight shielding layer to correspond to the light transmitting hole, andthe inner side surface and a light-exiting surface of the display panelare two opposite surfaces of the display panel.
 3. The display panelaccording to claim 1, wherein a strip-shaped area is located between theadjacent pixel units, and a plurality of light transmitting holes arespaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped area. 4.The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the light transmittinghole is a circular hole with a diameter being ⅓˜⅔ of a minimum width ofthe strip-shaped area.
 5. The display panel according to claim 3,wherein a distance between adjacent light transmitting holes is 50%˜100%of the diameter of the light transmitting hole.
 6. A terminal device,comprising: a display panel, wherein the display panel includes adisplay area that further includes a photosensitive area; and aplurality of pixel units arranged in an array in the photosensitivearea, a light transmitting hole being provided between adjacent pixelunits in the photosensitive area; and a photosensitive element disposedon a first side of the display panel, wherein the first side is a sidefacing away from a light-exiting surface of the display panel, and anorthographic projection of the photosensitive element on thelight-exiting surface is in the photosensitive area, wherein the lighttransmitting hole penetrates through a non-transparent film layer in thedisplay panel; wherein the display panel is an organic light emittingdiode (OLED) display panel including a pixel defining layer, a cathodelayer, an electron transport layer, an organic light emitting layer, ahole transport layer, an anode layer, and a protective layer in astacked arrangement; wherein a light shielding film is disposed on sidewalls of the pixel defining layer and the hole transport layer in thelight transmitting hole; and wherein the anode layer and the protectivelayer are transparent and cover the light transmitting hole, and thelight transmitting hole penetrates through the pixel defining layer andthe hole transport layer and does not penetrate the anode layer and theprotective layer.
 7. The terminal device according to claim 6, furthercomprising: a processor configured to perform filtering processing on anelectrical signal generated by the photosensitive element.
 8. Theterminal device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to perform differential processing on the electrical signalgenerated by the photosensitive element and a preset signal, the presetsignal being an electrical signal generated when the photosensitiveelement receives only light generated by the display panel.
 9. Theterminal device according to claim 6, wherein the photosensitive elementcomprises at least one of a camera module, an optical sensor, and anoptical fingerprint module.
 10. The terminal device according to claim6, wherein a light shielding layer is disposed on an inner side surfaceof the display panel, a via hole is disposed in the light shieldinglayer to correspond to the light transmitting hole, and the inner sidesurface and a light-exiting surface of the display panel are twoopposite surfaces of the display panel.
 11. The terminal deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein a strip-shaped area is located between theadjacent pixel units, and a plurality of light transmitting holes arespaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped area. 12.The terminal device according to claim 11, wherein the lighttransmitting hole is a circular hole with a diameter being ⅓˜⅔ of aminimum width of the strip-shaped area.